Prime Day Deals from a Frugal Mom of Many

We love our Echo Dot.  My parents have the regular Echo, but I honestly don't know why it's worth spending the extra money when the Dot seems to do everything.  It's only $29.99 and this is a great family gift idea if you can hold onto it until Christmas.  My kids are constantly dancing to music on it, playing trivia games with Alexa and learning answers to their questions (Xander's current obsession is asking Alexa what everybody's names mean).  Even the baby yells at Alexa to play his current favorite song, "Baby Shark".  We really love having it.  As a side note, my fiend's mom has MS and is in a wheelchair.  She said they have two echos, one on each side their home, so that the mom can turn on/off lights, call for help, and have company for someone to talk to throughout the day.  What a great idea!

Running Makes Me A Better Mom

My name is Colleen, and I’m a Mother Runner.

I have always enjoyed running since high school, which makes me a runner for about 25 years now.  Yikes!  Where has the time gone?  Oh right, into building a beautiful family, comprised of 7 kids (6 boys and 1 girl) as well as working as the Business Manager for our Catholic high school.  I’m busy, as are all mothers because life can be demanding. 

Kids are awesome but they also need a lot of our time, attention, things, and it turns out they like to eat multiple times a day.  Who knew?  When you multiply a child’s needs by seven, and subtract out the eight hours spent each day at work, there’s very little time left to get everything done. 

So amidst all the demands of life… how does a mother even have the time to run?  Well I’ll give you my answer....

(Continued over at Catholic Women Run)

The Infancy Infantry

March, March, March I hear them say,

On their way up to bed after a long hard day.

We didn't intend this military process,

But kids need structure or all is a mess.

We have to appear one step ahead of the crew,

Lest they discover we actually have no clue.

During times of peace, we remain ever vigilant.

Not knowing when the chaos will return as fast as the calm went.

We meet in secret, away from little ears,

To discuss new strategies through the passing years.

Then we return, ready to enforce new rules,

But they challenge and make us feel like fools.

We constantly strategize and talk to comrades wiser,

Learning from those who have become close advisers.

As our soldiers grow older, we can see the potential,

To join us on our side of this parenting differential.

Soon their side grows smaller, with the passage of time,

As wisdom and maturity, out of the ashes begin to climb.

There are more of us now, than there were back then,

But it's easier somehow, as the infants become men.

Now when a new little one makes the family invasion,

Many hands are on deck to step up to the occasion. 

This parenting style takes time, and it takes work, 

But raising children pays not in riches but perks.

It's no longer Us vs. Them in the tale of our infantry,

It's just become one Us as they age up from infancy.

As we watch our rising leaders, in the front of the pack,

We congratulate ourselves with a pat on the back.

For this parenting assignment never ends, we all know that's true,

Yet these small steps forward each day bring hope anew.

March, March, March I hear them say,

On their way up to bed after a long hard day.

Storyland 2018: A Lovely Little Family Getaway

Last week, the high school where I work was closed for some construction, so we all had the week off.  We decided to quickly make a trip up to New Hampshire to visit Story Land with the younger kids.  

The weather was really hot during the week, but Fri afternoon and Saturday were supposed to be  GORGEOUS - sunny and 75 degrees.